Brad Pitt Peddles Perfume, Powers Gay Marriage Initiatives

When Chanel No. 5's new women's perfume campaign launched earlier this month it was received mostly with bewilderment. Primarily, because the ad's spokesman was just that—a man—and none other than a scruffy Brad Pitt, hired to peddle a fragrance for her. The ad, serious, bizarre, and arty-to-a-fault, is also so vague: We need the version for Dummies to understand its meaning.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGs4CjeJiJQ

If you can't get through the spot with a straight face, you're not alone. Everyone from Conan O'Brian, to Saturday Night Live have spoofed the campaign, which just might be a little too abstract for it's own good.

But Brad Pitt is apparently the one having the last laugh, having earned $7 million for the spot. Yesterday, he announced what he'll do with a portion of it. According to The Globe and Mail, Pitt will donate $100,000 to support same sex marriage votes:

Brad Pitt has agreed to donate $100,000 to help the Human Rights Campaign raise money for its efforts to support same-sex marriage initiatives in several states. The nation's largest gay rights group announced Wednesday that Mr. Pitt agreed to match contributions from the group's members up to $100,000.

In an e-mail to members of the Human Rights Campaign, Mr. Pitt wrote that it's “unbelievable” that people's relationships will be put to a vote on Election Day. Same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington state. The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign says it has spent $8-million to push for marriage equality for gays and lesbians over the past two years, including $5-million in the four ballot measures this year.

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$100,000 is a fun number to think about. What causes would you give to if you had that luxury?